Syria: An Alternative Choice

The democratic opposition group that Sherkoh Abbas and Dr. Zuhdi Jasser represent has been sidelined by the Obama administration, which has made its choice for Syria by supporting the Syrian National Council led by Burhan Ghalioun, who is backed by the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamist government of Turkey. According to Abbas Obama administration officials are pushing the Kurdish groups to join to Syrian National Council. Only one group has complied thus far.

And how does Sherkoh Abbas see the revolution in Syria ending? “The Muslim Brotherhood, with the support of President Obama and Turkey, will not succeed in controlling all of Syria. The Alawis and Hezbollah backed by Iran, and Russia and China, will not give up power easily.” Sherkoh Abbas asserted that the Alawis have been working to establish an Alawi mini-state in the western region of coastal Syria for quite some long time. That area, he pointed out, is where the regime has stored most of its assets and where weapons from Russia are shipped.

Erdogan’s Turkey, Abbas maintains, will use the Free Syrian army, currently based in Turkish territory, to control the Kurdish region. The Christians in Syria, numbering more than 10% of the population, have been largely co-opted by the Assad regime, as well as the Druze religious community in southern Syria, who account for 2% of the population. The Muslim Brotherhood does not trust either of these groups because they have, for the most part, refrained from joining the revolution in opposition to the Assad regime.

The New York Times reported on March 8, 2012 that scores of (Syrian) Kurds have begun fleeing into Iraqi Kurdistan in an attempt to escape the Assad regime security forces, and the violence around them. The Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in Syria, “that could potentially shift themomentum” against the Assad regime. According to the Times, “The Kurds have long complained of repression and discrimination by the Assad regime,” but have failed to unify and have declined to join the Muslim Brotherhood, Sunni dominated opposition. The concern of the Kurds and shared by Abbas, is that the post-Assad government led by the Muslim Brotherhood dominated opposition, “may not be better – and may perhaps be even worse.”

The conflict within Syria has had wider ramifications, involving two regional powers: Iran and Turkey. These two powers are currently clashing through their military proxies. Should Sunni (Muslim) Turkey actively intervene in Syria, Shiite (Muslim) Iran will enter the war openly on the side of the Assad regime and unleash the Kurdish PKK and the Alawis within Turkey against Erdogan’s Turkish government.

What should be the role of the United States in an emerging Syrian civil war? Sherkoh Abbas believes that the U.S. must “find a radical solution for the immediate removal of the Assad regime, and, if necessary, use force to do so.” He argues that a civil war in Syria would adversely impact the entire region. Sherkoh considers active U.S. involvement as essential in preventing “the creation of a hostile regime” in Syria. The U.S., he added, has a moral responsibility to insure freedom and democracy for all Syrians. The alternative, Abbas said, is the frightening prospect of “an Arab nationalist or Islamist regime that would lead to more violence and civil war.”

Sherkoh Abbas concluded by restating his conviction that for Syria, only a democratic federal system supported by the U.S. and the West, could bring peace and tranquility to its people and to its neighbors. A Syrian federal state will guarantee full representation and justice for all ethnic and religious groups in Syria. A federal state would also lead to economic prosperity and growth for all Syrians, and most of all would ensure individual freedom for all citizens. Moreover, since the Assad dictatorship requires an outside enemy (Israel) to stay in power, a Syrian democratic system will benefit Alawites, Christians, Druze and Kurds. It is for these reasons that eventually Kurds and others will join the revolution in full force to affect a regime change.

What Syria needs is not some federal Muslim government. It needs a non-Muslim government. We have seen Muslim countries progress somewhat in terms of democracy and freedom, only to relapse into Islamic rule again ( think of Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt too, possibly, unless the military gain control ). Anyway, when did the Kurds ever respect the rights of Christians ? Their record is tarnished in this matter. Assad may be nasty but at least he defended the rights of the Christians, possibly more so than any other Muslim ruler anywhere. But the Muslim Brotherhood would be a nightmare for Christians. Just look at Egypt.

Arius

Right! Whatever we think of the Syrian government it hasn't allowed Muslims to oppress Christians. With the US supporting the Muslims Brotherhood and Salafi's in Egypt and Libya we shouldn't be surprised to see the US supporting the same Muslim barbarians in Syria. The US seems to be on an anti-Christian crusade. Even though I am an American I hope the Russians and Chinese help Syria crush the uprising.

southwood

Yes. The US and Europeans supported the uprising in Tunisia, a country which was the most successful nation in suppressing Islamic terrorism. It monitored the preaching in its mosques very efficiently to stop any jihadist preaching. So what happens : a wonderful (yeah) Arab Spring replaces it with a shariah government. Egypt, too, under Mubarak was better than any Muslim Brotherhood led regime but that is where Egypt seems to be heading. And the West supports this ! Same with Syria despite the fact that some exiled cleric is inspiring an Islamic take over there too. The US/UN supported the Muslims over the Christians in Bosnia, remember. There is never any mention in the MSM of the persecution Christians are suffering although this is widespread. But as soon as the poor Palestinians suffer anything at the hands of the Israelis, look out for outrage. Also, don't offend Muslims in anyway or you get accused of racism, Islamophobia or both. But Christians are discriminated against all over the place and it's fine. Leftist political correctness is destroying western society. Only a return to Christianity will save us, and motivate us to speak out against the persecution of Christians and other abominations.

http://laiglesforum.com Don Hank

Southwood is right. Assad is pro-Christian and that is why the West wants him out. The West's policies have been killing Christians right and left in Africa, so much so that it is becoming increasingly clear that the Western elites hate Christianity. If they didn't, why would they import so many Muslims into Europe who refuse to assimilate? Merkel admits multi-kulti doesn't work, but they keep coming. And we keep supporting Islamic radicalism in Africa. Go to http://laiglesforum.com and search for arab spring.

southwood

Good to know not everyone swallows the Globalist MSM kool aid.

Matt

Send all the Jihad mercs there into the kill zone. The Kurds got some rights out of it if Assad follows through. It is a stalemate, situational reports change static. It is not all bad you really need to have the Jihadists fighting on two fronts, it was Iraq and Afghanistan, Now Yemen and Syria. You don't want to be in a situation in which you have to decide that they all have to go, the only one that benefits from that is Iran. That is where this is going. No one will be safe. Once you have pulled the pin that is it you can't put the Genie back in the bottle.

wctaqiyya

Gee, what a great plan. Invade Syria so we can install some huckster no-name with no army or political base on the throne? This is one of the stupidest posts I have read in quite a while. All of the author's assertions are fantasy. The Alawites are gonna set up a small kingdom on the coast? Really? How many troops are the Iranians, Russians and Chinese going to commit to this folly? The correct answer is zero. As for the flood of Russian military aid, the reliable reports say no Russian aid is coming in.

And this paragraph is very funny indeed.
“The free world has a moral obligation to protect the Kurds of Syria not only because we have been victimized and have been throughout the 20th Century, but because we are natural allies of the West, sharing such values as tolerance and acceptance of minorities, and belief in an open and free democracy.”
Yep, the victim card. You can tell the dude went to school in the west. And it seems the Kurds are the most tolerant, democratic tribe in the whole ME. It must have been an evil conspiracy fortified with magical spells that kept us ignorant of these wonderfully 'democratic' people all these years. Hogwash, total, complete hogwash.

ahmadnb

You're a total moron. Go research what has been going on in northern Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003…unlike in other parts of Iraq, US soldiers stationed there seem to have experienced little or no harm at all. Mossad openly recruits Kurds who seem to be quite friendly with the Israelis.

Don't believe me? Then go out there and do your homework. Prove me wrong if you can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

The kurds are doing well.
But for you to call him a total moron?
You pretend that islam doesn't demand sharia and you have even gone as far as saying the koran doesn't need to be taken literally. If you went to Mecca and said that out loud they would kill you.

Go do your homework.

ahmadnb

Aw, shut the hell up, you brainless, broken record.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

And will you quit lying and covering for islam?

ahmadnb

You're too dumb to tell the difference between a lie and the truth. P!ss off…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

And you're dumb enough to think you can try fooling people with your version of islam, that doesn't strive for sharia and doesn't take the koran literally? If you talked like that in mecca they would kill you for it.

ahmadnb

Quit soiling all over my email account.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

My my, let me go ahead and lecture you some more.
On this western style format you don't need to have me 'soil' your little muslim email accounts. Are you working with Iranian computers that are still struggling with stuxnet and it's little kids?

Anyhow all you have to do to never hear from me again is to crawl back to the muslim mosque you crawled out of.

Excuse me, but you can't lecture me. You're an idiot…idiots don't lecture people. They get treatment in sanitariums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

It' easy to lecture you, and clearly you need it.

ahmadnb

Then go ahead and lecture me all you want. Think I'll even give the slightest damn in what you say? Think you'll make a difference? Go on! just keep sending me your recycled, repackaged sh!t and watch it disappear into a black hole…that would be your a$$hole, FYI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

Truth really rubs you wrong, doesn't it?

ahmadnb

Is that all you got??? That's what you call a lecture??? Pu-leeeze…you can do better than that. Come on, where's that superbrain of yours???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

It's all you deserved.

ahmadnb

And I thought you were going to give me a lecture. All I heard was a whimper…pathetic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

It was all a dog like you deserved. I pointed out that the truth rubs you the wrong way. You can't say I'm wrong so you start your trolling. You just can't help yourself, can you?

ahmadnb

No, I embrace the truth without fear or prejudice. It's you who is scared to death of looking beyond your little cube, and so you badmouth everyone you disagree with, including your fellow Christians. You're obviously high on bath salts or something…you love the taste of human face, don't you? Mmm, mmm…and please keep your clothes on next time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

Then you realize as an al taqiyya soldier that islam demands sharia and forces a literal koran reading.You realize that you don't care who you kill or blow up on the way to world wide caliphate to force the earth back to a violen 8th century mentality.

ahmadnb

You know you're wasting your time, don't you? I don't believe a word you say because you're full of sh!t. But keep on lecturing if it makes you feel bigger and more important than you really are. Just don't expect me to believe you or to pay you for your wasted time and efforts.Sure sucks to be you since you seem to be nothing more than a tinsey winsey nothing. I'll just toy away with you until you die out like a snake that my friend's cat drags in.

ahmadnb

You know you're wasting your time, don't you? I don't believe a word you say because you're full of sh!t. But keep on lecturing if it makes you feel bigger and more important than you really are. Just don't expect me to believe you or to pay you for your wasted time and efforts.Sure sucks to be you since you seem to be nothing more than a tinsey winsey nothing. I'll just toy away with you until you die out like a snake that my friend's cat drags in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

You are a fool. I don't have to convince you, I realize an indoctrinated muslim is more stubborn than a pig in a mud puddle.

I just need to make sense so readers are convinced, and mocking you along the way is just an added plus. So, have your computers been hit by 'flame' yet?

ahmadnb

Who's the bigger fool…the one you call a fool or the one who thinks he's smart to the point where others must buy his tired old regurgitated arguments? You have failed miserably. People have come to my defense. I don't see anyone coming to yours. You're a one-man army out there to save the world from Islam…you confirmed what I suspected you thought of yourself. Well, guess what…not all readers here are as stupid as you think they are. Islam wasn't born just yesterday, and will continue to exist after we both are dead and gone. Life sure sucks for you, doesn't it?You don't have faith in your fellow man as I do. You feel that you needed to make sense to other readers, but you're the only person here who thinks that you make any sense at all. The readers here don't have to believe either of us…as far as they are concerned, this is more like a Jerry Springer free-for-all slugfest. They can figure things out for themselves…they don't have to listen to you any more than they have to listen to me. But I've got more supporters on my side than you do, judging from some of the responses that I've gotten. On the other hand, nobody seems to be defending you, even after you defended others against me.And as far as PC viruses go, I've got protection that is updated every few days automatically, so my system remains clean. Sure sucks to be you, doesn't it?Now go cry yourself a river. Nobody loves you! Boo-hoo…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

I'll keep this simple.
You're the fool. You think you can come here and say that muslims are peaceful that they don't need to take the koran literally and that sharia isn't really necessary.

It told anyone reading your comments right from the first you couldn't' be taken seriously.

ahmadnb

Show me one person who takes you seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

Show me one time that you made a serious comment.

You silly muslim trolls. Are you going to pretend that muslims don't have to take the koran literally again?

ahmadnb

Of course you can't show me one person who takes you seriously, which is why you ask of me something so redundant. But I expect nothing more from someone like you who thinks the way he does. You say I need to be lectured, but then refuse to do so when I ask you to do so. That's 'cause you have nothing to lecture me about…an admission on your part that you're full of nothing but hot air.You're the one who wants to save the world from Islam, and can't make any headway in this regard, which in turn leaves you bitter. And you keep regurgitating the same old arguments against me and against Islam, hoping to make some headway, with the same results. That sort of behavior on your part, in Einstein's own words, fits the definition of insanity. Which is why I am more than honored to be called a fool by the likes of you. You have no idea what that word means to begin with, nor do you know of what Jesus himself said in the New Testament with regard to people who do that.You would be a far more productive citizen if all you did was stay drunk and watch gay porn in your Mom's basement and collect welfare checks.Sure sucks to be you. I'm just grateful to God that I'm not in your shoes. Now get the hell out of my life and stay out before I give YOU a few lectures of my own. And don't worry…I won't charge a couch potato like you for them. I'll give them to you for free. And yes…you do need them. I come to you as a concerned citizen who cares about your overall mental state, one who wishes to prevent another Columbine from taking place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

Says the muslim who pretends sharia isn't a forced style of life, and that the koran doesn't need to be taken literally.

I don't waste time on trash.

southwood

He's not a moron. He makes very good sense. I couldn't believe this article. The Kurds to this day are persecuting the Christians in Iraq, around Mosul. When did they believe in tolerance ? They helped the Ottoman Turks slaughter the Armenians in the early 20th century. They share our values such as "acceptance of minorities" ? Since when ? They are friendly with US soldiers 'cos they want them to keep defending them against other Iraqis. And they'll use the Israelis to gain acceptance with the West. They've been screaming out for a homeland for ages. Give them one and we'll see how tolerant they really are.

wctaqiyya

Thank you. My point wasn't to specifically trash the Kurds just to trash them but to release some of the air from Mr. Puder's fantasy balloon. He makes it sound like the Kurds are part Boy Scout part Mother Theresa and part Churchill. Silliness. Your comment describes it best.

ahmadnb

Persecuting Christians? There are very few of them among the Kurds to begin with…there are more Yazidis among them than there are Christians. Their main beef seem to be Arabs, whether they are Muslim or not. As for what happened to the Armenians, that was 100 years ago…the people that carried them out are no longer alive. That's like blaming white southerners of today for Jim Crow laws against blacks.Read Michael Yon's reports…he actually spent time living among the Kurds before submitting a lengthy report on what's going on over there.

Very good. So it looks like you've got some level of intelligence between your ears…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

Facts are what they are.

ahmadnb

Oh, no…they're not being real Muslims!! Better go remind them of what Islam really teaches!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

They are being muslims, that's the source of the problem.

You better find out what other clerics are teaching before some family decides you need to 'go' in order to protect the family honor.

ahmadnb

I'll smash anyone who tries to mess with me. And I don't care if it's a relative or a stranger, someone who's a Muslim or someone who's not. Nobody comes to my home and messes with me or my family. Got it? Now go out and have a miserable life and pray to your Jesus Christ to help you let go…of the fact that I'm no longer around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

Oh my the non sharia muslim who doesn't take the koran literally it struggling to sound like he's to be taken seriously.

Yeah, good luck with that.

factnotrhetoric

Joseph Puder, the author, is right and the mainstream media wants war to overthrow Syria and hand it over to the "Saudi Organized Crime Syndicate" instead of turning it into a DEMOCRACY.

It's the "Saudi Organized Crime Syndicate" that's been overthrowing Syria for over one year. Now they want America to foot their bill.

The Syrian people do not want Saudi Rule. The Saudi's have the worst Human Rights Record since Hitler.

The author is also right, Obama and SoS Clinton have refused to meet with the Democratic Syrian Contingent that instead want a democracy for Syria.

What no one seems to realize is that the "Saudi Organized Crime Syndicate" writes and rewrites Sharia Law to overthrow Democracies. If the Saudi's can get Sharia Law in the constitution of any country, then they turn any country into a Saudi Organized Crime Syndicate owned DICTATORSHIP, where the Saudis own the drug trafficking, own the oil in the ground, own the opium in the fields, own the printing of money, own any water or utility company the choose to confiscate, and own the country's military.

Obama and SoS Clinton left Saudi written Sharia Law in the constitutions of IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, LIBYA, EGYPT, TUNISIA, YEMEN AND OBAMA'S BIRTHPLACE OF KENYA.

Obama and SoS Clinton turned every one of these countries into Saudi Dictatorships at the cost of over 10,000 American Soldiers lives, the cost of killing of over ONE MILLION innocent middle eastern citizens, and Obama borrowing and spending over 50% of every US Dollar on these endless wars to the tune of over $1 Trillion Dollars every year Obama and Clinton have been the Administration.

wctaqiyya

Jeepers. So, we should spend one hundred years, ten thousand dead American soldiers and a trillion dollars to turn Syria into a 'democracy'? But, everywhere else we tried it, it was turned into a Saudi Dictatorship? Which, to your credit, is a bad thing? And, everyone wants America to foot the bill? Like that's news? Dude, sleep for many hours. The effects of an LSD overdose are not pretty, make no sense at all and require much recuperation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

So, we should do nothing and let Syria stay an Iranian puppet state that treats everyone as they did Neda?

rasmus

Agree – very poor standard article. Pure babble.
How on earth should the US establish a federation in the middle of this perfect storm of clashing islamist groups, one worse than the other? absolute insanity. A democracy wouldn't establish a federation – as in other places it establishes a state ruled by the most numerous and powerful. Some strategy behind this guys statement.

Kurds and Christians should have their own states in the ME which they could protect with their own armies, as Israel does. When a plan for his arises I would support it, but getting involved in this muddy war of thieves, pirates and terrorists is worthless.

Writing from Scandinavia where Kurdish 'refugees' are among the most overrepresented and aggressive perpetrators of racist attack-rapes against us natives the statement that Kurds should be: "natural allies of the West, sharing such values as tolerance and acceptance of minorities, and belief in an open and free democracy." is deeply offensive. Publish the stuff if you must but not without questioning it!

Faithfulee

I admire Dr. Jassar but I disagree on the point that we should get involved in Syria. This is a Muslim v Muslim battle and we should let the Muslims work it out by themselves. Our interest is only in having a Democracy that offers freedom and human rights to its people. No Muslim country except possibly Turkey comes close.

The Kurds are a different Issue. Here we should support them in forming a separate country. An important reason is that they have demonstrated respect for Jews and Christians. If the above writer is correct, he should document his condemnation of Kurdish refugees in Scandinavia.

nowhereman

to all of you in general Syria is a country containing MANY religions living together this is not about religion this is about people desiring to live a free democratic society. Civilians are do not own arms as they do not have the right to bear arms. ALL young men(any religion) are FORCED to join the army therefore manywere forced to kill their own people and defected. Would it be ok to shoot "occupy" protesters dead???? furthermore Assad is not a real muslim or he wouldnt be killing people or married to a non muslim woman I suppose the tiny children whose throats were slashed were dangerous threat? please find out the facts before assuming and judging everyone there is never any exuse or reason to execute innocent women and children i could go on and on but heck guess its a waste of energy to try to make people care about other human beings

wctaqiyya

The Syrian rebellion is about many religions living together and caring about other human beings? But Assad is not a 'real' Muslim? You seem to have a consistency problem friend. It being rather difficult to tolerate other religions and live together if some of those other human beings don't have a real religion, no? Maybe you can clarify your thoughts a bit for us. I assume you think Islam is a real religion, If so, why isn't the Alawite sect real Islam?

Flowerknife_us

How can one wish for a winner from a slate of bad entries? The Islamic Family will settle its problems as it always has. With every Country in the region playing its own verison of the Family Fued, the series will run for years to come.1400 years and counting.

farid

Unfortunately, the Obama administration played a role in the mismanagement of the Syrian crisis. It did not encourage a clear and supportive policy toward democratic groups. If the Syrian Revolution fails, the current U.S. administration will have had a key role. This policy is producing harmful results for the Syrian people and encourages the system to continue to commit crimes against humanity. The question for President Obama is what is his Administration’s goal? Is the goal either keeping the Baathists in power in Damascus or bringing Muslim Brotherhood Islamists who control the SNC to power? Both cases do not serve the interests of either the majority of the Syrian people or the international community.